Subordinating Conjunctions | Conjunctions | Parts Of Speech | French

Subordinating conjunctions link a dependent clause to a main clause, showing how ideas relate in time, cause, condition, and more. This guide covers common conjunctions with brief examples to illustrate each use.

Time

Conjunctions of time signal when something happens relative to another event, and they often require the indicative or the subjunctive depending on whether the event is seen as definite or anticipated.

Examples

Vocabulary

	French Word(s)	English Word(s)
	quand	when
	lorsque	when
	dès que	as soon as
	aussitôt que	as soon as
	alors que	while
	pendant que	while
	avant que	before
	après que	after
	jusqu'à ce que	until
	depuis que	since

	French Word	English Translation
	avant que	before
	après que	after
	pendant que	while
	dès que	as soon as
	jusqu’à ce que	until

Cause

Cause conjunctions explain why something happens, linking the effect to its reason. They typically introduce clauses in the indicative when the cause is certain.

Examples

Vocabulary

	French Word(s)	English Word(s)
	parce que	because
	puisque	since / because
	car	for / because
	comme	as / since
	grâce à	thanks to (can be followed by noun)
	à cause de	because of (can be followed by noun)

	French Word	English Translation
	parce que	because
	comme	since / as
	puisque	since / seeing that
	car	because / for
	faute de	for lack of

Condition

Condition conjunctions set requirements for an action to occur. The clauses they introduce can be in the indicative or subjunctive depending on the likelihood or nature of the condition.

Examples

Vocabulary

	French Word(s)	English Word(s)
	si	if
	à condition que	provided that
	pourvu que	provided that / as long as
	au cas où	in case
	sauf si	unless
	à moins que	unless

	French Word	English Translation
	si	if
	à condition que	provided that
	dès que	as soon as
	à moins que	unless
	sans que	without

Concession

Concession conjunctions acknowledge an obstacle or opposing fact while maintaining the main point. They often trigger the subjunctive when highlighting an unexpected or hypothetical contrast.

Examples

Vocabulary

	French Word(s)	English Word(s)
	bien que	although
	quoique	although
	malgré que	although / despite (less common)
	encore que	although
	même si	even if / even though
	alors que	although / while

	French Word	English Translation
	bien que	although
	quoique	although
	même si	even if
	alors que	even though / while
	malgré	despite

Purpose

Purpose conjunctions express the intention behind an action. Clauses introduced by pour que, afin que, and similar phrases typically use the subjunctive to show that the purpose is desired or potential.

Examples

Vocabulary

	French Word(s)	English Word(s)
	pour que	so that / in order that
	afin que	so that / in order that
	de sorte que	so that / in order that
	de peur que	for fear that / lest
	de manière que	so that / in such a way that

	French Word	English Translation
	afin que	so that
	pour	to / in order to
	de peur de	for fear of
	en vue de	with a view to
	pour que	so that

Manner

Manner conjunctions describe how something is done or happens. They can introduce clauses that explain method or style, and sometimes select the subjunctive when the manner is uncertain or intended.

Examples

Vocabulary

	French Word(s)	English Word(s)
	comme	as / like
	ainsi que	as well as / like
	de la façon dont	the way in which
	de la manière dont	the manner in which
	selon que	depending on whether

	French Word	English Translation
	comme si	as if
	comme	like / as
	de manière que	so that / in such a way that
	ainsi que	as well as / just like
	de sorte que	so that

Summary

Subordinating conjunctions organize complex ideas by marking time, cause, condition, concession, purpose, and manner. Paying attention to whether the conjunction requires the indicative or subjunctive helps signal nuance between fact and hypothesis.

Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025